Since it is the start of another year, people often make resolutions. However, these plans usually don’t last past the first week. Instead of making resolutions this year, why not pick a 30-day challenge?
You can pick one, or you can pick several. Just make sure that you don’t overburden yourself with your choices.
Another good idea is to pick one or two each month that complement one another and build from there.
Make a checklist for your challenges, or use a calendar with the challenge marked in the date.
Then you need to cross off the day when you complete the challenge.
Health and Fitness Challenges:
Quit Consuming Added Sugar – give up added sugar for 30 days and see the benefits.
Set a Time Limit on Your Screens – reduce the current time you spend on your screens by 60-90 minutes for 30 days. Use the saved time for something more productive in your life.
Keep a Daily Food Journal – this is a great way to keep track of the food you eat daily. This is particularly important if you are trying to lose weight.
Avoid Overly Processed Food – this means avoiding anything that comes in a box, a bag, a jar, or a can. If the product has ingredients you can pronounce, don’t eat it.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Daily – you should eat between 5 and 6 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily. The health benefits are many.
Getting Enough Sleep – getting the right amount of sleep contributes to our health. You should aim for between 7 and 8 hours nightly. Another challenge could be to go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every day.
Getting More Exercise – there are many different exercise programs you could try for 30 days. Do a plank challenge, squat challenge, or even days in the gym challenge.
I Tried High-Intensity Interval Training for 2 Months Video:
Try Out Intermittent Fasting – this is a great idea for weight loss and has other health benefits. If you are a beginner to this idea, try a 12-hour fast with 12 hours of eating. Do this for a month, and then perhaps try another 30-day challenge for either 16/8 or 18/6.
Get in Your Steps – there is so much discussion on getting 10,000 steps a day. However, if you are barely doing 1,500 steps daily, start by aiming for 4,000 steps a day. You can then try another 30-day challenge for 8,000 and then perhaps another month of 10,000 steps.
Eliminating Fast Food or Food Delivery – since the global issue, more people have used food services or made use of the drive-through at their favorite fast food restaurant. However, not only will you save money, but your health will improve if you do some cooking at home.
Try Some Home Cooking – if you aren’t willing to give up fast food or food delivery, you can still do a 30-day challenge; only this challenge could be to have at least one home-cooked meal a day.
Stay Hydrated – you need to stay hydrated for overall health. Not only will your health improve, but so will the quality of your skin. Make the challenge of drinking 8 to 10 glasses every day.
Stretch Your Muscles Daily – give your tired muscles some stretches every day. This is important if you sit a lot. Try for 10 to 15 minutes a day and see if your flexibility improves.
Give Up a Bad Habit – we all have something we probably should give up when it comes to a bad habit. Perhaps it is giving up soft drinks, smoking, or eating too much candy or chocolate.
Try a New Diet – there are many different ways of eating. Maybe try a 30-day challenge on the Keto Diet or the Mediterranean Diet. Or perhaps you want to give the Vegan Diet a try for 30 days.
Another Way to Get in Your Steps – you don’t have to challenge your steps; you can instead make a challenge of doing 20 to 30 minutes of walking each and every day!
Happiness and Better Mental Health Challenges:
Giving Compliments – when we praise someone else, we also feel good about ourselves. Giving compliments is a small step towards feeling happier about yourself.
Stop Complaining – if you are a complainer, this is going to be hard. However, it is a great challenge if you want to have more joy in your life. Give it a try for 30 days and see how your mental well-being improves.
Start a Morning Routine – do you stumble out of bed, and then the day just unfolds from there? When we create a morning routine, we tend to accomplish more the rest of the day. Some ideas for a morning routine include journaling, doing some meditation, or even getting out in nature and going for a walk.
Finding Time for Reading – do you have trouble finding time to read? Make this a challenge to read for a period of time or even for the number of pages that you will complete in a book a month. It turns out that reading for just 20 minutes a day can mean you will read 18 books in a year.
Write in a Gratitude Journal – this is a great way to improve your outlook on your life. It takes little time out of your day but has a huge impact. All you need to do is write five items you are grateful for in your life. Do this first thing in the morning or the last thing at night.
I Tried Gratitude Journaling for 30 Days Video:
Take Care of Yourself – the old adage of putting the oxygen mask on yourself first and then helping others is an excellent way to live your life. You can’t be any good for others if you first don’t take care of yourself. There are many ways to do this, from having a daily to-do list, having a weekly massage, clearing the clutter in a drawer or room, calling a friend, or playing with your dog.
Work-Life Balance – you will never be happy if you don’t have balance in your life. Work is important, but you still need to recharge your batteries. Your friends and family will appreciate you spending more time with them.
Try a Meditation Practice – most of us struggle with this one which is why this makes a great 30-day challenge. There are a number of apps you can add to your devices, or check out YouTube for a particular type of meditation. If you don’t have a lot of time, try just 10 minutes each day.
Make a Vision Board – this is an excellent idea as it gives you the ability to see your goals and plans for your life on a daily basis. You can make one with a poster board and images from magazines, or you can make a digital one. Canva (canva.com) is a great place to look for inspiration. Hang your vision board so that you can see it every day, or make it your wallpaper on your computer screen.
Try a Bedtime Routine – you can set up a routine before bed. Just like a morning routine, having one at night means you end the day on a positive note. Your routine can be everything from taking a shower, taking off your makeup, and meditating before you get into bed.
Spend More Time Outdoors – getting some fresh air every day is a good thing. You don’t have to spend a lot of time doing this challenge. You can go for a walk in a local park, spend some time sitting on a log at the beach or even spend time in your garden.
Stress Reduction – we all have too much stress in our lives. Set up a 30-day challenge to take a break from your routine. Sit quietly while listening to soothing music or if you play a musical instrument, find some time to enjoy it. If you love to paint, set up a challenge to spend time at the easel.
Find Time to Journal – this is a great challenge for someone who likes to get their thoughts down on paper. Journaling can be everything from trying to sort out an issue you are dealing with to letting your thoughts flow.
Be Your Own Cheerleader – if you think negatively about yourself, take a 30-day challenge to avoid negative self-talk. Treat yourself the same way you would a valued friend. You might be surprised to see how much happier you feel about your life.
Check out Some Podcasts – there is generally something for everyone regarding podcasts. You can listen to self-help recordings, travel tips, and everything else you can think about. Just Google a topic you want to explore and see what you find.
Finding Humor – when was the last time you had a good laugh? When I was going through a particularly tough time a while ago, I started listening to or watching comedians before bed. What I found was I was sleeping better. There are also lots of great comedy shows you can watch. Did you never see the TV show Friends? There is a streaming service where you can find this show and many others.
Make a Happiness List – What makes you happy? Make a list of everything that makes you happy, and try one daily for 30 days.
Managing Your Finances Challenges:
Keep Track of Income and Expenses – use an Excel spreadsheet or app to keep track of your income and expenses. You should track your expenses daily. This way, you won’t have to worry about running out of money or getting extra overdraft charges.
Set Up a Budget – even if you track your income and expenses, it is a good idea to have a budget. The upside is that you might have more money to spend. I put a certain amount of money aside each month to pay my car insurance in June. I just opened an account attached to my checking, and I transfer the money each month.
Try a Credit Card Ban – this might be a bit hard, but it might be less painful if you have a debit card (money is withdrawn from your bank account). This is an excellent way to reconsider a purchase if you know it will be cash. Also, you can pay down or pay off your credit cards.
Try Saving Money – everyone should have a plan to save a portion of their income each month. You can make it easy by deciding on a percentage you will save each paycheck. Did you know that saving $500 a month gives you $6,000 saved in a year? That excludes interest, of course.
Easy Savings Challenges For 2023 Video:
Creativity Challenges:
Try Taking a Photo Daily – this is not only a creative exercise but can also be fun. One way to have more fun is to pick a theme each day. If you do this challenge on Facebook, you can challenge friends and family members to join you!
Flex Your Artist’s Muscles – do you like to draw or paint but haven’t touched a brush or pen in ages? Not only is this a fun challenge, but it is a great way to find inspiration.
Take a Writing Challenge – a great way to explore being creative is to write a short story or poem each day. Join medium.com and share your writing with the world. Join their partner program and make some money as well!
Try Your Hand at Crafts – some simple crafts like knitting or needlepoint can be done anywhere and don’t cost much money. On the upside, you get something beautiful that you made with your own hands.
Keep an Art Diary – this is a visual journal in which you can record your innermost thoughts and feelings in any artistic medium that speaks to you. If you are a doodler, this is a great chance to have your “art” pieces in one place. There are communities online if you want to learn from others.
Try Learning a New Language – while you won’t ultimately learn a new language in 30 days, you can, however, get started on learning one. Duolingo.com is an excellent app if you want lessons handy, as you can listen to the app anywhere.
Learn Some Magic Tricks – have you always wanted to learn some magic tricks? Not only is this a fun idea but you could entertain family and friends.
Make a Video Daily – just like taking a photo each day, make a short video of something you enjoy doing and then post it online. There are many classes online for making videos, including shorts that you can add to Instagram or Facebook.
Get Educated – learning new things makes life more enjoyable. One way to do this is to watch TED talks on YouTube. There are so many different and interesting topics that you won’t run out of videos to watch.
30 Day Art Challenge Results Flip Through Video:
Get Organized Challenges:
Follow Your To-Do List Daily – pick 3 to 5 priorities for each day to get done. Make these your most essential items to take care of each day. You will be surprised by how much you accomplish by the end of the 30-day challenge.
Donate Items You Don’t Need Anymore – is it time to clear the clutter? You can clear away some of your clutter by keeping a box available for adding donations. I have a couple of friends who joined with others to get rid of an item every day for 30 days. Day one was to get rid of one item; day two was two items, and so on. They posted what they had donated on a Facebook page.
Follow a Diet Plan – you can set up a meal plan for 30 days based on a diet plan you want to follow. You might want to leave a day or a meal open to be a little spontaneous.
Make Your Bed Every Day – making your bed every morning is an excellent way to start the day with at least one task completed. If you pick this as a 30-day challenge, you will find that it becomes a habit and easy to do daily.
Getting Rid of Clutter – this might not be hard to do, but it will be a little work. You can start with one room for 30 days or particular items such as winter clothes you don’t wear anymore or books you have read and won’t read again.
Finishing Projects – first, you will need to list projects that have yet to be finished. If you don’t have many for a 30-day challenge, then decide if you will do it anyway.
Plan Your Wardrobe – have you heard of a capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe is a well-thought-out closet full of staples that can be mixed and matched in countless ways. This includes separates like tops and bottoms, dresses, coats and jackets, shoes and accessories, and even jewelry.
30-Day Decluttering Challenge Video:
Blogging Challenges:
Blogging for Fun or Financial Gain – if you have been thinking about having a blog, now you can get started with a 30-day challenge. You can start building a blog with sites like wix.com, squarespace.com, or wordpress.org. You may also want to write up a business plan, marketing ideas, and details on the products you will be selling.
Getting Educated with Courses – do you have courses or reading materials you have paid for but never started or finished? Make a list of the courses and then set up a 30-day challenge. One way to get started completing them is to dedicate an hour a day to learning. Don’t forget to implement what you are learning.
Let People Know About Your Blog or Business – you need to let people know what you are doing. You can find new people on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Remember to interact with followers on social media.
Connect on Instagram – this website is excellent for connecting with people. Yes, it takes a while to get followers, but to build a relationship, you need to communicate with them.
Work on Your Blog Daily – creating quality content may not be easy but it is worth the time and effort. Just block out time each day to add a post to your blog, and don’t forget to update any information that isn’t current.
30-Day Blog Profit Challenge Video:
Better Relationship Challenges:
Dine Together – spending time together with your partner and family is important. One of the best ways to spend time together is having a meal together daily. Just pick a meal that works for everyone and make it a daily habit.
Spend time with Friends and Family Members – the value of human connection has been an important lesson over the last three years. Call the people who are important to you. Try to reach out to at least one person every day.
Write Notes to Your Partner or Children – we all want to feel like we matter to someone. Leave a love note in your partner’s jacket pocket to be found when they reach into the pocket. Add a love note to your children’s lunch boxes. I have a friend whose husband leaves her favorite chocolate bar hidden in various places in their home. It’s a surprise for her every time she finds one, and she gets to appreciate her husband’s love for her.
Share a Hobby with Your Partner – is there something your partner loves that you could share with them? Suggest watching their favorite TV show with them or watching their favorite sports team play. Maybe they love cooking, and you could offer to help cook together. Whatever it is, knowing you care about their interests can only help to tighten the bond you share.
Planning Surprises for Your Partner – come up with 30 different ideas to surprise your partner. It could be something as simple as cooking their favorite meal or purchasing a gift they wouldn’t buy for themselves but really would like to have. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just thoughtful!
Love Lessons – 125+ Years Of Marriage Advice In 3 Minutes Video:
Come Up with Your Own 30-Day Challenge!
All these challenges are great ideas, but there may be challenges not on the list that you want to give a go at. Whatever the challenge, once you succeed, you will feel stronger and more self-confident in completing something. And don’t forget to have fun!
Try something new for 30 days – Matt Cutts Video:
